One of the biggest reasons for people who are never out of job is because they have a rock-solid network behind them. Of course, skills, knowledge and experience are always at the top of the list. But there are plenty of jobseekers who even after having all the basic talents are unable to score a job offer in time. If you plan to get your dream job without much delay and keep your career growing, you should always focus on expanding your professional network.
But that’s a no-brainer, right? You have read tons of articles on the benefits of career networking or social networking. You also understand that your network needs to expand as much as possible.
But there’s something even more important!
Who to include in your Social Network?
It’s about the people you include in your network. Have you ever wondered about all those people who make up your professional network? Are those people really bringing you any job help? Do the people you have in your network provide you with job information when you need it? Do you think you’ve connected with the right kind of people to aid your job search?
These are questions that matter a lot. Networking is not about quantity. It’s the quality that makes a difference.
You must add these people to your network –
Recruiters
It’s recruiters who are your initial point of contact when you’re looking for a job. There are different types of recruiters. Many recruiters focus on helping you find jobs in your region. There are those that help you find a job across the country in different cities. Then you have recruiters who help jobseekers land overseas jobs. Do you think you have them in your professional network? If not, you should find and add these guys without a second thought.
HR Guys
Whether you’re looking for a job or already have one, you should never forget to add people from the HR department to your network. Even when HR people in your company move to another company, they’ll most probably be doing the same job. Therefore, adding them to your network will bring you job search benefits for the long-term.
Industry Experts
As soon as you have chosen an industry to work in, you should identify the experts in that industry. Thanks to the emergence of social media, finding these experts is not a tough task. Make sure you connect with these experts and spend time with them genuinely to build long-term, profitable relationships.
Senior Managers
Every company or organization has the senior level management. It’s crucial that you look for opportunities to connect with these upper level employees. These professionals will not only help you finding jobs, but they can also prove to be effective mentors for your career.
Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurship is growing at a rapid pace. They are all over, in every country, every state and every city. By connecting with these entrepreneurs, you’ll keep yourself motivated. If you build good relationships with them, they can bring you a number of career benefits.
Career Coaches or Counselors
These are professionals who have expertise in guiding others to build successful careers. Look for these experts or counselors and try to connect with them via different mediums, online and offline. They are a good help when you need career guidance as well as when you’re in search of a job.
If you’re building your professional network already, focus on connecting with the right people. If you think you have a large network but it’s not valuable enough, it’s time to give it a spring-cleaning.
Please feel free to comment.
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